Mechanical Engineer (Atmospheric)

Mechanical Engineer 

Location: Playa Vista, California (in-person, five days per week) 

Outpost is building the return lane from space. We’re developing reusable vehicles that bring payloads home from orbit safely and precisely, enabling faster in-space manufacturing, global delivery, and entirely new capabilities in the space economy. 

We’re a mission-driven team that cares deeply about the work and the people doing it. We are in an exciting stage of growth, which means ownership from day one. Our engineers design hardware, test it, iterate on it, and watch it move toward flight. We are based in the aerospace hub of Playa Vista, where you can spend your days solving complex problems and your evenings on the beach or in the mountains. The work is meaningful, the team is collaborative, and the mission matters. If you want to see the systems you design make it to orbit—and back—come build with us. 

The Role 

We’re looking for a Mechanical Engineer who will own the design, analysis, and development of Outpost’s atmospheric recovery systems. This role sits at the intersection of structures, thermals, mechanisms, and aerodynamics - translating system requirements into flight-ready hardware. 

You will lead the mechanical design of components and assemblies that survive hypersonic reentry, transition into controlled flight, and deliver payloads with unprecedented accuracy. This includes mechanisms, interfaces, deployables, rigid and soft-goods integration, and structural elements across the CarryAll vehicle families. 

This is a hands-on engineering role in a fast-moving environment. You will be working directly with GNC, TPS, test, avionics, and manufacturing teams to mature hardware through analysis, prototyping, testing, and flight. 

Responsibilities 

• Design and develop mechanical systems for atmospheric recovery, including deployable structures, aerodynamic decelerators, recovery mechanisms, airframe interfaces, and precision landing hardware.
• Own hardware through the full lifecycle: concept, requirements, CAD, FEA, prototyping, assembly, qualification, and flight.
• Perform structural, thermal, and mechanism analyses to validate designs under extreme loads, temperatures, and dynamic environments.
• Lead mechanical design integration between rigid structures, paraglider systems, soft goods, and flight hardware.
• Partner closely with GNC and aerodynamics teams to ensure mechanical designs enable required precision, controllability, and performance.
• Develop test plans and support ground, wind-tunnel, and flight tests for atmospheric recovery subsystems.
• Drive design reviews (PDR/CDR) and prepare clear documentation, drawings, BOMs, and work instructions. 

Qualifications

• 3-5 years industry experience in mechanical design for aerospace hardware.
• Work on-site in Playa Vista, California
• Strong proficiency in CAD (SolidWorks, NX, or similar) + mechanical analysis tools (structural/thermal in Ansys - Solidworks acceptable).
• Experience designing structures, mechanisms, deployables, and aerodynamic structures (parachutes/paragliders, flaps, linkages, hinges, etc.).
• Deep understanding of load path, interfaces, and environmental requirements for high-energy flight environments.
• Experience taking hardware from concept to production and/or flight.
• Comfortable working in ambiguous environments and iterating quickly with cross-functional teams.
• Comfortable executing rapid, hands-on prototypes to support fast design–build–test cycles.
• Excellent documentation, communication, and technical writing skills. 

Additional Skills or Expertise 

• Experience with reentry systems, atmospheric flight vehicles, TPS interfaces, or parachute/paraglider systems.
• Background integrating soft goods with rigid structures.
• Experience in hypersonic, supersonic, or high-aero-load environments.
• Field test experience (drop tests, flight tests, parachute deployments, etc.).
• Familiarity with DOF-limited mechanisms and precision actuation in harsh environments. 

Compensation & Benefits

• 95,000 – 150,000, Salary may vary with experience
• Incentive Equity
• Annual Performance-Based Bonus
• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Life Insurance
• PTO
• 401k with Company match
• Subsidized daily catered lunch, snacks and coffee 

You must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.15 ,or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.